562 



HISTORY OF MEXICO* 



to the temples, and many gardens, part laid out on the 

 natural level of the earth, and part raifed into high ter~ 

 raffes. 



The many and great buildings, neatly whitened and 

 polifhed, the lofty towers of the temples, fcattered 

 through the four quarters of the city, the canals, trees, 

 and gardens, formed an affemblage of objecls fo beautiful, 

 that the Spaniards appeared never fatisfied with viewing 

 it, particularly when they beheld it from the upper area 

 of the greater temple, which not only commanded a prof- 

 peel of all the extent of Mexico, but alfo of the lake, 

 and the beautiful and populous cities around it. They 

 were not lefs aftonimed at feeing the royal palaces, and 

 the wonderful variety of plants and animals which were 

 reared there; but nothing (truck their minds with more 

 amazement than the large fquare of the market. There 

 was not a Spaniard who did not extol it with Angular 

 praifes, and fome of them, who had travelled through 

 almoftall Europe, declared, asBernal Diaz reports, that 

 they had never feen in any place of the world,, either fo 

 great a number of merchants, or fuch a variety of mer- 

 chandize fo well ordered and difpofed. 



When the Spaniards mounted the greater temple^ 

 they found the king there, who had anticipated their ar- 

 rival, in order to prevent by his prefence, any attempt 

 of violence againft his gods. After having obferved the 

 city from that great height, at the inftance of the king 

 himfelf, Cortes demanded permiflion to fee the fancl.ua- 

 ries, which the king granted to him after confulting the 

 prielis. The Spaniards entered there, and contemplat- 

 ed, not without companion and horror, the blindnefs of 

 thofe people, and the horrid flaughter which fuperflition 

 committed at their facrifices. Cortes then turning to 



the 



